Mixed Signals
by dresa
Summary: Ron finds out Hermione's in love with a Weasley. And it's not him; it's a her. RH all the way. That Ron, he misinterprets so much! A PoorRon! fic. Happy endings all around.


Yes, yes, I am working on the next chapter of Survival. It's going quite well, but this plot bunny jumped in my head and has been hopping around in my brain for a while, and I just HAD to finish it. I don't believe any one's done written this idea before, so I wanted to get it out before someone else did. If some else has done this, my apologies. No plagiarizing was intended, since I didn't know your story existed.

This fic takes place in the Trio's seventh year, Ginny's sixth.

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"Oh, God," moaned Ron. Sinking down into his chair, he struggled with the enormity of what he'd just seen.

No longer able to deny the inevitable, Ronald Bilius Weasley admitted that he fancied Hermione Jane Granger.

It had come out much more readily than he had expected. Well used to stuttering in moments of emotional import, Ron had rightfully assumed it would take a bit to get out the words.

Instead, they had flowed from him like butterbeer from a tap.

Burying his face with his hands, Ron waited in tense anticipation for a response.

Across the table, Harry James Potter nonchalantly tossed another every flavor bean into his mouth.

He waited until Ron looked up, then said, "Is that all?"

Ron gaped at him, then mumbled, "I guess that means you already knew."

Harry smirked. "Ron, everyone knows. But why the sudden confession?"

Ron took a deep breath. "Because she's been sneaking around with someone, and it's not me."

For the past few weeks, Hermione had been disappearing at night. She always made some flustered, inane excuse as she fled. Ron had at first dismissed it as some girl thing, but now, after three solid weeks of her absence, he was starting to get really worried. It wasn't that she was so obviously lying about her activities that bothered him; both Harry and himself had done that to her on more than one occasion, but it was the implications of why she was lying that worried him.

Earlier that night, Ron had "borrowed" Harry's invisibility cloak and followed after her.

He had kept a bit too much of distance between them, because she'd shut the door of the nondescript classroom she entered before he'd had a chance to sneak in.

So he'd settled for listening at the door.

There was silence for a time, then some low murmurings. Then, Ron was shocked and disgusted to hear a series of thumps and bangs, as if bodies were hitting tables repeatedly. 

"She couldn't…" Ron tried not to contemplate the activity that must be going

"I'm quite content with keeping this a secret for the rest of our lives."

"Don't be silly, Ginny, we'll have to tell eventually. Everyone will wonder."

"Well, let them. It's our life, our private matters. The rest of the world can just butt out."

"I think Ron already suspects something."

"Well, we'll just have to be more careful, then."

"Ginny, you know how he feels. I don't want to do anything to hurt him."

"Hermione, you, or I, can't help the way we feel. We will have to tell him, but if he loves us, he'll accept it and move on."

"And Harry?"

"What about him? This works better with you than it ever would with him. You're perfect for me in every way."

"Well, thank you, but I don't know how much longer we'll be able to keep this a secret. And if your Mum finds out, she'll never forgive either of us."

Ginny sighed. "I know, but I really think it's if we keep it to ourselves a bit longer. No one's going to understand, and our best chance is to hide it until we're more confident together."

Ron shook his head. This just wasn't possible. Hermione and…his sister?

Ron knew about that kind of thing, of course..but he'd never even considered….

But then again, Ginny had always been a tomboy. She had claimed to have "given up" on Harry, but had that really meant she'd given up on men altogether? She's certainly dumped Michael Corner and Dean in quick succession.

And Hermione, well she had never been one to act particularly feminine. She had always been content to hang with Harry and himself, never bothering with makeup or anything of the like, at least until the Yule Ball. 

Come to think of it, she'd had the most eligible bachelor in the world as her date, a man who very clearly had wanted more, but she'd insisted that they remain friends. Could this have been why?

Ron shook his head. He had to be misunderstanding the situation.

"We'll talk about this later," Hermione assured. "Right now, I'd better get back before I'm missed."

Ginny giggled. "Wouldn't want that. Whatever would Gryffindor say about the two of us having clandestine meetings in abandoned classrooms?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I seriously doubt they'd put two and two together. I love our house, but they're not the most….progressive lot."

Ginny's quick laugh indicated her agreement.

Ron heard Hermione's voice come closer to the door, and he moved to the side, so she wouldn't run right into him.

"I'll go out first, just in case. Leave for the Common Room about ten minutes after, alright?"

Ginny agreed, and suddenly the door opened. 

Hermione came out and turned, passing Ron by inches. It took everything Ron had to not cry out in astonishment when he saw the bright red welt on Hermione's neck. A hickey?

Ron didn't bother waiting for Ginny to leave once Hermione departed. Going in the opposite direction from the Common Room, he paced through the castle until curfew was imminent. 

Upon reentering the Gryffindor area, he was both relieved and bothered to find only Harry remaining in the Common Room, studiously writing a Potions essay due the next day.

After hearing Ron's tale, Harry shook his head, obviously disbelieving. 

"You're mad. Absolutely insane."

"I'm telling you, Harry, my sister and Hermione are having a secret love affair. God knows how long they've been…together."

"You're being ridiculous," Harry scoffed. "You obviously misinterpreted the situation."

Ron stood up at this, unintentionally taking out his anger on Harry.

"Oh, really? Then tell me how in the hell I could misinterpret a bloody LOVE bite on Hermione's NECK, when only my sister was in there with her?!? It wasn't there when she went in, but it was damn evident when she came out? What's your answer for that one, eh? I'm waiting!"

Harry merely blinked back at Ron.

"You should've heard the way they were carrying on, mate. You wouldn't be able to deny it then."

Harry gulped visibly. "Oh? How were they…erm…carrying on, then?"

Ron made a disgusted sound. "They were making all these thumping noises, and I'm sure I heard more than a moan or two. Besides that, there were all these grunts, and…hang on, you're, you're bloody getting off on this, you perv!"

Harry's eyes had glazed over, and he was staring off at some invisible spot in the distance.

Ron thumped him on the head to get him refocused.

"Think your sick thoughts somewhere else, Potter. What am I going to do?"

Harry shrugged. "Well, if you're right, there's nothing to do. They're together, and obviously trying to hide it, so why don't you just let them be?"

Ron gave Harry a look that screamed, 'Are you insane'?

"Mate, I've just realized how I feel about her, and I'm not going to let anyone, even my sister, get her without a fight."

Harry shook his head sadly. "Sometimes you scare me, mate. Sometimes you really do."

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Ron stewed over his discovery for a straight week, taking care to be much more observing of Hermione and Ginny, both apart and together. At first glance, there wasn't anything to see, but after a few days, Ron started to see a disturbing pattern. 

Hermione and Ginny often giggled together, and whispered words in each other's ear. They would often meet each other's eyes and do some sort of nonverbal communication, right at the breakfast table. But what sealed it was on Friday at dinner, a full week after he'd caught them. 

Hermione had been fastidiously recopying her Potions notes when a long curl of her hair fell forward, falling dangerously close to her bowl of soup. Ginny had affectionately reached over and wrapped the lock back behind Hermione's ear.

And Ron knew in that moment he'd lost Hermione before he'd even found her.

Standing up abruptly, he muttered something about seeing them later and started to stride out. He had to get away. 

"But Ron, you hardly ate!" Hermione called after him, his departure breaking her concentration. 

"Not hungry," he mumbled back, and walked on.

Harry kept his eyes on his plate, feeling two pairs of eyes studying him closely.

"What's gotten into him, Harry? He's hardly eaten all week."

"Erm," Harry stuttered. He was horrible at lying. "No idea, really."

Ginny cut in. "Harry."

"I can't tell you, it's not my place." He met their eyes defiantly, and with just a bit of anger. 

"I'm going after him," declared Hermione. She began to stuff her books in her satchel. 

"He won't want to talk to _you_." Harry couldn't disguise the bitterness in his tone. 

Halfway out of her seat, Hermione sank back down. Stunned, she could only stare at Harry.

Ginny stood up, furious. "Then he'll have to talk to me," she spat out, eyes flashing at Harry before she whirled away.

Ron stopped at the end of the corridor, filled with….he wasn't sure what. Staring at the wall, he hit it with his fist. That felt good. So he hit it again. He watched with a kind of detached fascination as his hand became more and more bloody from its repeated contact with the stone.

If he just kept hitting it, maybe he would focus on the pain in his hand instead of the agony in his heart. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" came a demand from behind. 

Ron's other fist clenched. During their childhood, he'd imagined smacking Ginny around a lot. She had a smart mouth and a way of getting whatever she wanted. But those thoughts had never been the kind of violent fury he was currently experiencing. Part of him was aching to take his fist and…..

Whoa. That thought broke through his haze of anger. Punching Ginny? What the hell was wrong with him? How could he have-

After several slow, deep breaths, Ron turned towards his sister, leaned against the wall, and sank down to the floor. He was just so tired of…everything.

"Oh, Ronnie, what have you done to your hand?"

Gingerly, she picked his arm up and examined his knuckles closely. With a tisk that sounded eerily like his Mum, she pulled out her wand and murmured a Healing spell. 

Ron didn't move a muscle. 

"Please, Ron, we're all worried about you. Tell me what's wrong."

Ron met her eyes. She looked so plaintive, so concerned. He wanted to scream at her, to rage. But what would be the point? Two people he cared very much for were happy. They made each other happy. Who was he to stand in the way of that?

"I know," he whispered. "About you and Hermione."

Her eyes widened considerably. "You-," Ginny gulped, "know?"

He nodded. "It's okay. I understand."

Ginny's face transformed into a brilliant smile. "You do?"

He shrugged. "It's impossible not to love her. I can't be upset at you for it."

"Oh Ron, that- wait, what?"

He continued as if she hadn't spoken. "You too have always been different from other girls. I can't believe I didn't cotton on before."

"Cotton on?"

"And don't worry, I wont tell Mum."

"Tell Mum, what exactly?"

Ron abruptly took hold of Ginny's shoulders. "Just promise me that you'll, you know, love her. Because that's what she deserves. Someone who will do anything for her. I was too late, I guess. And it's my own damn fault. But I care more about her being happy than my being miserable. I won't get in your way."

Ginny's eyes cleared as her brain did some rapid calculations. They then narrowed as she said, "Well, Ron, I have to tell you that I tried to hide it, because I knew she loved you."

"What?" he choked out. 

Ginny nodded sagely. "I didn't want to get in the way, but you never made a move. And one night, she was crying about how you didn't love her, and it just- happened."

Ron buried his face in his hands. 

"It's your own stupid fault, you know. She was yours, you just didn't know it."

"Oh god," he moaned into his hands. "I'm such a tosser."

Ginny put a tentative hand on his shoulder. "Listen Ron, Hermione and I, we have fun together, but if she had some kind of sign from you that you were willing to fight for her, I'm sure she'd consider it."

"But, what about-"

"It's okay, I mean, I care for her, but she's not my greatest love or anything."

"You'd give her up, for me?"

Ginny gave him a grin. "Course, you're family. Besides, I knew how you felt about her, and I poached anyway. But Ron, you'd have to handle it a certain way."

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"Well, she'll only dig her heels in if you tell her about our conversation. That I gave her up. She'll feel guilty and all. What you should do is just tell her how you feel about her, and not let on that you know about us. I'm sure she'll tell me later that you finally came round, and I'll let her go selflessly. She'll never need know the truth."

"Really."

"Really," Ginny replied firmly, with a none-too-gentle push to help him on his way. 

Ron stumbled off, still not sure what we was supposed to do now.

"She'll be in her room," Ginny yelled after him.

He gave an absent nod so she'd know he heard.

If he'd looked back, he would have seen his sister collapse against the wall in a fit of laugher.

He ascended the castle steps slowly, mulling things over in his mind. Did he really still stand a chance? Ginny had made it seem like their relationship was a casual thing, and that Hermione still had feelings for him. It was hard to contemplate. He'd never even considered that at some point, Hermione could possibly like him. He'd been more concerned with coming to grips with the idea that he fancied her.

But what if he did nothing, and Ginny and Hermione's relationship grew into more? Could he stand it, watching them together, knowing he'd had a chance and hadn't taken it?

"No!" Ron didn't even realize that he'd said the word out loud. His shoulders straightened, and his gait became quicker. He had to do it now, before he lost the nerve.

*************************************************

Hermione sat on her enormous bed, toweling her hair off absently. She'd tried to get Harry to confess something about Ron's behavior, but he'd remained silent, looking everywhere but at her. Hermione had slowly returned to her room, more grateful that ever for the privacy her Head Girl position afforded her. She'd taken a quick bath to try to calm herself down and wait for Ginny's report before she went in search of Ron herself.

She was startled by a loud knock on the door, and quickly opened it, fully expected to see Ginny on the other side. 

Wrong Weasley.

"Ron, what are you doing here?" she questioned tremulously, tightening her shower robe. 

He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, then, with a muttered cursed, stepped inside her room and kicked the door closed behind him. Before she'd had a chance to ask another question, he'd grabbed the lapels of her robe and pulled her viciously to him. 

His mouth forced hers to open, and, after murmuring something against her lips, took her roughly in his arms, backing her against, and then onto her bed.

He stared down at the gap he'd made in her robe. Hermione's full, rosy breasts stood high and proud, fully revealed to him. 

"Ron," she managed with a choked gasp, as he put his mouth to her breasts feverishly, nipping and sucking like a man possessed.

Hermione's hands clenched and unclenched from the sensations, then, after a moment of indecision, found their way to Ron's head, urging him closer.

His body pressed down, bucking against her rhythmically. 

Ron moved up from her chest to her neck with little, wet kisses. "I love you," he breathed. 

"Oh, Ron, I love you." 

She waited for him to continue, but he just kept looking at her. Suddenly his gaze was no longer passionate, but almost…accusing? 

"Ron?" Hermione sat up, now self-conscious, and pulled her robe back together. 

With a curse Ron left the bed, adjusting the discomfort in his trousers as he stood.

With his back to her, he said again, "I love you Hermione."

Hermione went over to him, turning him around. "I love you too, Ron."

He continued on as if he hadn't heard her. "I can't do this."

"Do what? Ron, please talk to me!"

"I was going to try to pretend it didn't matter. If you loved me, and I loved you, everything would be fine."

Hermione's brow knitted in confusion. "What are you on about?"

 "Don't pretend!" He spat out viciously. "I only look this stupid."

'I have no earthly idea what you're saying, Ron. You'll have to spell it out for me."

"Fine." He whirled away from her, only to pace back.

"I know about you and Ginny, Hermione."

Hermione frowned, then her face cleared. "This is all about Ginny and I? I mean, I knew you'd be upset, but Ron, there's no need to be so broken up about it."

He looked at her incredulously. "Not be broken up about the fact that you and my sister have been diddling each other for the past month?"

For once in her life, Hermione was speechless. 

"Didd- Ginny? And me?"

"Don't bother denying it. I heard you two in that classroom last week. And Ginny admitted it when I confronted her today."

Hermione blinked a few times, then found that her legs were shaking slightly. She eased down onto her bed.

"Let me get this straight. You heard Ginny and I last week in the classroom. Then today, Ginny told you we're having a- a-… _relations_ with each other?"

"Yeah, but she also told me that you still loved me, and that she'd be willing to give you up to make you happy. That's why I came up, to see if I still could have a chance. But, Hermione, I don't think I can put this past me. You were with my sister, by Merlin. My sister!"

He wasn't sure what he expected Hermione's response to be. A tearful confession perhaps? A heartfelt apology? Possible. 

What he got, however, was Hermione suddenly doubled over, laughing so hard she couldn't seem to breathe.

Hermione laughed for a solid five minutes. Every time she seemed to be winding down, she'd look up at him and go off again. 

Ron was getting more and more agitated. Was she laughing at his feelings? Didn't she care that she'd been caught red-handed?

"Ron, you idiot," Hermione murmured affectionately, "Come sit by me."

Ron warily complied. 

"Your sister and I," Hermione started, with a twinkle in her eye that said she was still amused, "have been training to become Aurors for the last month. You daft git."

"What?" he cried.

"We've been keeping it a secret because we knew you and Harry, and the rest of the Weasleys would try to talk us out of it. It was actually my idea, and Ginny said she'd been considering it for the longest time, but she couldn't tell anyone. Your Mum's so set on her becoming a Healer. I told her I'd be training for the end of the year, and she said she join me to get a leg up for her seventh year."

"But- but," Ron sputtered, "What about the love bite?" He gave her a triumphant look. "I know you had one on your neck!"

Hermione rolled her eyes affectionately. "We were practicing, remember? We hit each other with quite a few hexes."

Ron was beginning to feel like an idiot. "But what about Ginny?" he asked feebly. "She admitted it!"

Here, Hermione blushed a little and looked down at her hands. "She knows I've been waiting for you forever. She was just saying whatever she thought necessary to get you to do something, I'm sure. We've talked about…things…a lot recently."

Ron rubbed his hands over his face. It all made sense now. Why had he come to such a stupid conclusion?

"Next time you think something's going on with me Ron, just ask, okay?"

He nodded dumbly. 

"So, er, what now?" He snuck a glance up at her face.

"Well, you've yelled at me, ignored me, and accused me of being intimate with your sister of all people. I believe you owe me a lot of apologies."

Ron winced. 

Hermione's frown turned into a wicked grin.

With feminine grace, she untied the belt of her robe, letting it fall open once more.

"You can start with the left one," she suggested with a smirk.

After gaping for a bit, Ron eagerly complied. After all, she was right. He had a lot apologizing to do.

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So, I hope you all liked this. I have a sequel in mind, starting right after Ginny and Ron's conversation, and onward after Ron and Hermione got together. H/G this time. Let me know if such a venture interests you! Thanks as always, for the support, fellow Checkmaters! It is most appreciated.


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